Oligarchic war: Igor Kolomoisky quarreled with Petro Poroshenko

In Ukraine, the ongoing conflict between the central authorities and the governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region Igor Kolomoisky. The charges stemmed from Governor attempts to counteract the appointment of a new chairman of the state company "Ukrtransnafta" and opposition to the Ukrainian Parliament adopted the law, which deprived him of control over another company - "Ukrnafta".

Chronology of the conflict

Active phase of the conflict began on Thursday, when the Ukrainian parliament adopted a law on the reduction of the quorum required for the holding of general meetings of shareholders from 60% to 50% plus one share. The same day, the Supervisory Board "Ukrtransnafta" dismissed the chairman of the board Alexander Lazorko. In "Ukrnafta" Kolomoisky structure (4 th place in the ranking of Ukrainian Forbes c $ 1,8 billion) to control 42% of the shares and 50% and one share - the state. Lazorko Ukrainian media called "a man Kolomoisky." Businessman in an interview to television channel TSN owned him said that "had to do with his appointment," the post in 2009. Instead Lazorko observant owlt offered to appoint Yuri Miroshnik - former employee of the Security Service of Ukraine in the Luhansk region.

Representatives Kolomoisky has repeatedly blocked the convening meeting "Ukrnafta" shareholders that hurt to take a decision on the payment of dividends to the state. According to Ukrainian Forbes, the company has not paid dividends of UAH 1.8 billion. The total damage to a member of parliament Mustafa Nye is estimated at 6 billion UAH.

First, Kolomoisky responded to Lazorko suspension - Friday night, he, accompanied by armed men arrived at the "Ukrtransnafta" building, where in an insulting manner, talked with reporters. Lazorko give the position was not going and barricaded himself in his office, promising to challenge his dismissal in court. After security newcomer director Miroshnik won a small battle with the guards of his predecessor, Lazorko building on the time left. Return it to the office came Kolomoisky, accompanied by his deputy Gennady Korban, the governor of the Odessa region and its business partner Igor bat, and people's deputies armed submachine VitalI Homutynnik and Alexander Shevchenko restored the chronology of the edition "Correspondent".

President Poroshenko on Friday night announced Kolomoisky reprimand "for the violation of professional ethics."

On Sunday Kolomoisky with an armed escort reappeared in Kiev, already have "Ukrnafta" building, which earlier in the day was surrounded by a fence, and more whose protection has been strengthened. There he came into conflict with the deputy hire. The businessman said that the armed men are needed to prevent the "raider" attacks "Ukrnafta". For the purpose Miroshnikov version Kolomoisky, is a deputy and oligarch Igor Eremeev - the owner of "Continuum" group (80 th place in the ranking of Ukrainian Forbes with $ 87 million).

Taming Kolomoisky

On Monday, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine Valentyn Nalyvaychenko announced the availability of its services to assist in the disarmament of people who have taken under the protection of "Ukrnafta". According to deputy Sergei Leshchenko, they were fighters volunteer battalion "Dnepr-1", but the advisor to the Minister of the Interior del Zorian Shkiryak denied this information. According to him, it was the staff of a private security company.

"Territorial defense will be subject to a clear military vertically, and will not have a single pocket of the governor and his armed forces. Ended "- he reacted to the events in Kiev, the Ukrainian president, who met with the commanders of the military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (by" LigaBusinessInform quote "). In the same vein, he expressed the Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov, who wrote in his Facebook, that "on the streets will not wander personal protection group of businessmen and politicians - with a firearm." This, according to Avakov, applies to all, "and - personally - Kolomoisky, [Viktor] Pinchuk [Rinat] Akhmetov Eremeeva [Gregory] Surkis, [Constantine] Hryhoryshyn and other (Ukrainian oligarchs -. RBC)".

Earlier Poroshenko denied that Ukraine "private armies", as repeatedly told the Russian leadership. "Every part that is involved in the anti-terrorist operation zone, has a perfectly fine name, number, site ofOrono. Parts Kolomoisky there. But Dnipro great fight, "- Poroshenko said at a press conference in September. Then Poroshenko in his Twitter wrote: "I myself little idea how the enemy of the President of Ukraine may be the chairman of the State Administration Igor Kolomoisky."

The owner of the group "Privat" Kolomoisky was appointed governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region on March 2 last year, when acting President Oleksandr Turchynov has performed. Poroshenko after winning the governor to change the election on May 25 did not. At a press conference in September last year, the president praised the governor of Dnepropetrovsk. According to him, the head of administration functions in Dnepropetrovsk performed efficiently.

But on Monday, Kiev Kolomoisky accused of being involved in numerous crimes in the Donetsk and Dnepropetrovsk regions. Nalyvaychenko said that officials of the Dnipropetrovsk regional state administration supported armed gangs operating in the area. These groups were part of the gang, according Nalivaychenof which use weapons against law enforcement officers, kidnapped people, "We reasonably suspect the financing of officials of the Dnipropetrovsk regional state administration", -. Nalyvaychenko said at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday

"Ukrtransnafta" and Kolomoisky

"Ukrtransnafta" - the main operator of the oil transportation system of Ukraine, the volume is the second largest in Europe, 100% shares owned by "Naftogaz Ukraine". "Ukrtransnafta" is engaged in transportation of crude oil to refineries in Ukraine, as well as in the countries of Eastern and Central Europe.

International partnership

In 2004, "Ukrtransnafta", together with the Polish partner has become a party to a major project for the construction of an oil pipeline to Plock. Since 2007, "Ukrtransnafta" is one of the shareholders of OOO ICC "Sormat" - the company has made to increase the authorized capital of the enterprise. This project is working with partners from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Lithuania.

Conflict

Now the main conflict around "Ukrtrannaphtha "is associated with the company. It is written by Ukrainian media, it has been associated with businessman Igor Kolomoisky, which, among other things, controls the group "Privat" (it belongs to the Kremenchug refinery). So, "Ukrtransnafta" with the former management allows you to control delivery to the Kremenchug refinery, which in turn is a competitor of the Lisichansk Refinery "Rosneft" (March 2013, she received Lisichansk refinery along with other assets of TNK-BP).

The accusation of "Rosneft"

At the end of June 2014 at the Lisichansk refinery was a fire - lit oil storage tank, part of the equipment was destroyed, people were not injured. Then, in a statement, representatives of "Rosneft" to blame for the incident called the Ukrainian security officials. The incident may be interested in "Dorval to power Ukrainian oligarchs", which on the hand the destruction of competing production and higher prices for the products of the enterprise in the city of Kremenchug, the report said Russian company.

The political crisis

response to allegations from Kiev to Dnipropetrovsk regional administration held a series of briefings. At first, the MP from the Bloc Petro Poroshenko Andrey Denisenko acknowledged that SBU employee Volnovakha shot his assistant Gordeev names. The fact that this case is compatible with other cases of smuggling and kidnappings, Denisenko called the beginning of the war against "the Dnepropetrovsk team" According According to Denisenko, 26 men have been arrested battalion "Sich", "Right sector" (found in Russia as extremist and its activities prohibited) and other units in the financing of suspected Kolomoisky. Denisenko said that among the supporters of the governor convene in Dnepropetrovsk Popular Assembly.

Denisenko and three deputies, members of the ruling coalition in the Ukrainian parliament, announced its withdrawal from it due to "harassment Dnepropetrovsk team." In only one Block Petro Poroshenko to 15 people Kolomoisky, he said in an interview with "Leagueabiznesinform "former deputy Kolomoisky in the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration Borys Filatov. A total of 150 deputies of the pro-presidential faction. Earlier, Ukrainian media associated with Kolomoisky vnefraktsionnyh group "Renaissance" (22 deputies).

Prime Minister Yatsenyuk, whose "People's Front" is part of the ruling coalition, on Monday assured that the "unity government, the president and the coalition <...> no one can disturb."

However, likely that the public conflict with Kolomoisky was a result of the latent confrontation of the president and prime minister, vying for influence in the fuel and energy sector, writes Ukrainian Forbes.

"Now begins the hard struggle for resources", - said the director of the Ukrainian Institute of Society Transformation Oleg Soskin. Oil business, which is now fighting for Kolomoisky, has an annual turnover of $ 5-8 billion, he said. "Financial group Poroshenko came into conflict with the group" Privat "[Kolomoisky]. Both of the mass media have the resources, political structures, and that a new revolution after 2014 - their paramilitary units. And "Privatt ", and Poroshenko have their own, dedicated only to them battalions" - says Soskin. According to him, this fight Poroshenko supports both "old nomenclature" - parliamentary group Igor Eremeev, and Volodymyr Lytvyn, the people of Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Pinchuk (2nd place in the Forbes ranking for 2014. c $ 3 billion), and the clan of Alexander Turchinov and Arseniy Yatsenyuk, supported by the battalions of the National Guard Minister Avakov. At the same time, Dmitry Firtash (19th place in the Forbes ranking for 2014 with a $ 400 million) and the rest of the oligarchs oppose Kolomoisky. "It turns out that Kolomoisky one soldier in the field, but he will still fight - his people in the Verkhovna Rada is not structured in the same party, but permeate all parties represented in the parliament", - says the expert. Who is stronger, he does not undertake to say.

It is the most serious conflict inside the Ukrainian government, one of the pillars together with the president and prime minister which is Kolomoisky, says director of the Ukrainian Center for Applied Political Studies "Penta" Volodymyr Fesenko.

Option rational method of conflict resolutionwas possible, but on Monday the situation got out of control, he said. One of the main threats - is the risk of autonomy of Dnipropetrovsk region, the convening of the Chamber - is a threat, but Kolomoisky could get trapped and overestimated the extent of its influence, indicates Fesenko.

Inside the power situation is ambiguous: the explicit side of the conflict serves the president's team, and Yatsenyuk with Avakov is hold neutrality, the current situation - and challenge for battalion commanders, heads of battalions Kolomoisky, including the leader of the "Right sector" Dmitry Yarosh, says Fesenko.